Agetylene-gas generator



No. 6|7',246. Patented Jan. 3, I899.

J. L. GEBHABT.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

( Application filed Apr. 22, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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llrrnn AGETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,246, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed April 22, 1898. Serial No. 678,476. (No model.)

T0 o whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AOOB L. GEBHART, of Hot Springs, in the county of Garland and State of Arkansas, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification. e

My invention is in the nature of an improvement in automatic acetylene-gas generators of that form in which the calcium carbid is fed in regulated quantities into the water to generate a fresh supply of gas when the supply falls below a certain quantity and the feed of said carbid is interrupted and discontinued when the supply of gas is brought to the normal again.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the Various parts of the apparatus, which I will now proceed to describe with reference to the drawings, in which- 7 Figure l is a vertical section through the entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section of the same on line 2 2. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the feed-valve for the calcium carbid, and Fig. 5 shows top and side views of a stirrer for the bottom of the generator for loosening up the spent ash in cleaning the generator.

In the drawings, A represents the generator, which may be made of any suitable sheet metal, preferably in the form of an upright cylinder and of any desired size. On the side of the generator there is formed an external float-tank A in open communication with the air at the top and in communication with the generator A at the bottom through an opening 19. The cross-sectional area of the tank A is preferably about one-third that of the generator A, which causes the water-level in the float-tank A to rise and fall in tank A ata different ratio from that in the generator-t'. e., when the water-level in A falls one inch the water level in A will rise three inches, and vice versa. The proportion between the tank A and generator A may, however, be varied as may be desired.

On the top of the generator-chamber A there is mounted a magazine I for holding granulated or powdered calcium carbidv This magazine has a screw-cap v3, closing with a gas-tight joint upon a gasket, through which the calcium carbid is charged into the magazine, and the bottom of said magazine is made funnel-shaped, terminating in a spout i which protrudes into the generator, through which the calcium carbid is allowed to freely feed from gravity into the generator through the automatic but intermittent action. of a valve. This valve (see Figs. 3 and 4) is a flap-valve J hinged at its upper end and lying fiat against an oblique-seated opening at the end of the spout t and upon one side thereof. Its outward and upward movement in opening is limited by a stop-loop or keeper Z, and on the inner side of the valve, facing the calcium carbid, there is attached to the valve a small finger or spur m, which as the valve opens and shuts on its seat enters the spout and stirs the calcium carbid, breaking up any tendency to clog and insuring the free and certain discharge of the same through the spout when the valve is opened.

To the lower end of the valve J there is attached a rigid arm j, loosely connected by screw-nuts to a light vertical rod f, that extends to the bottom of the generator and is there connected to one end of a lever F. This lever extends through the opening 19 into the float-tank and is there connected to avertical rod 6, rising to and attached to the float E. The lever F is fulcrumed at a point in or near the plane of the wall of the generator which separates it from the tank and at a point near the opening 9, so that as the water passes back and forth through this opening it washes the fulcrum of this lever and keeps it free and unobstructed from the accumulation of the ash or solid residue resulting from the decomposition of the calcium carbid. The amount .of movement given to the Valve J by the rise and fall of the float is determined by the relative length of the two arms of the lever F or the position of its fulcrum.

Underneath the spout of the magazine there is fixed a deflector-plate or splash-guard n. This may be either attached to the top part of the generator in the form of a chute, as shown, or it may be an inclined shelf running across from. one side of the generator to the other directly under the spout. Its function is primarily to keep the water from spitting or splashing up as each suggestive quantity i is discharged in to the water,which water, striking the discharge-val ve, would soon foul it and make a pasty adhering mass of the calcium carbid at this point, which would clog the valve and defeat its proper automatic action. This guard also has two other functions-11. 6., it serves to deliver the calcium carbid into the water at a point away from the lever F, so that the latter is not fouled, and it also spreads or scatters the granulated carbid, so that it is not dumped in a mass, and the full and instantaneous contact between its particles and the water secures an instantaneous regeneration of the charge of gas in the generator.

O is the gas-holder, which is of the ordinary type, being an inverted bell-shaped chamber, open at the bottom, closed at the top, and having its side walls dipping down into an annular water seal between the inner and outer tanks D and D. The gas from the generator passes to this holder from the generator through an open stand-pipe B in the generator, which at the bottom emerges from the generator and passes in the form of an external pipe B to the bottom of the gasholder.

0 is a safety-valve, whose rotary plug has an arm K, that rises to and rests upon the top of the buoyant chamber 0 of the gas-holder, a friction-roller being located on its end to enable the arm to ride easily upon and move back and forth on the top of said buoyant chamber. WVhen the gas-holder becomes entirely filled and rises to its highest point, it lifts the arm K and opens the safety-valve 0, so as to avoid excessive pressure. This arm K is provided with an adjustable weight is, attached to the arm by a set-screw at different points along its length. This regulates to some extent the pressure in the gas-holder and also serves to positively bring down the arm and close the safety-valve when the buoyant chamber of the gas-holder descends.

The bottom of the generator A is preferably made f unnel-shaped to facilitate the discharge of the pasty residue of spent ash or lime that is the product of the decomposition of the calcium carbid, and a gate-valve H is arranged at the bottom to permit the removal of the same. Ordinarily when this valve is opened the pressure of the gas in the generator-will be suflicient to force out the pasty residue; but for the purpose of stirring and dislodging it positively a conical spider G, Fig. 5, is constructed to fit in the bottom, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and is provided with a handle or a wrench-socket for turning the same to break up and discharge the residuum.

The operation of my generatoris as follows: The magazine being charged with granulated or pulverized calcium carbid and the generator partly with water and ready for normal action, the float E will be maintained by the higher level of the water in the tank A at a point depending upon the pressure of the gas on the water in the generator. Now when this pressure is reduced by the consumption of gas from the holder the water-level in tank A falls, and as the float descends it forces down the end of lever F which is connected to the float and raises the other end, which is attached to the valve. This opens the valve and allows a quantity of calcium carbid to be delivered into the Water, and a fresh supply of gas is generated. This increases the pressure, forces water from generator A through opening 1) into tank A, and raises the float, and this in turn reverses the motion of the lever F and by pulling down on the valve closes it again and stops the admission of the carbid and the generation of gas.

lVith respect to the advantages of my apparatus I would state that it is so organized as to comply with the most rigid requirements of the insurance companies with reference to safety, among which I may mention, first, the charging of the generator without admission of air thereto second, the cleaning out of the residual lime without admission of air to the generator; third, only a very light pressure of gas in the generator, amounting to about three and one-half ounces per square inch; fourth, no gas being admitted to the gasometer until the gas is pure, and, fifth, the use of a maximum of water and a minimum of the carbid, so that the gas is cooled as it is generated and a surplus of gas is avoided.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the generator-chamber having a tank open at its upper end to the air and communicating at the bottom with the water-space of the generator, a magazine for calcium carbid having a valve arranged Within the generator, a float arranged within the tank, and means positively and directly connecting the float to the valve for automatic action, said means being wholly within the generator and tank and hermetically inclosed thereby substantially as shown and described.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the generator-chamber having a tank open at its upper end to the air and communicating at the bottom with the water-space of the generator, a magazine for calcium carbid having a valve arranged within the generator, a float arranged within the tank, a lever fulcrumed in the water-passage of the opening between the tank and generator, and rods connecting the opposite ends of this lever respectively to the float and to the valve, said parts bein g hermetically inclosed within said generator and tank, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination with the generator in an acetylene-gas apparatus; of a magazine for the calcium carbid having a discharge-spout entering the generator, and protruding into the same, a valve arranged in the generator, hinged to and forming one side of said discharge-spout, and a protecting-guard for the same attached to the top of the generator and extending around the bottom and sides of the valve substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with the generator in an acetylene-gas apparatus; of a magazine for the calcium carbid having a discharge-spout protruding into the generator, a flap-valve arranged in the generator and hinged to and forming one side of the spout, an inclosing keeper or stop-loop for the valve, and a stirring-finger attached to the valve and projecting into the spout substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. An acetylene-gas generator having an outside float-tank open at the top to the air and at the bottom into water-spaces of the generator; in combination with a float and means for positively and directly connecting the float and the valve and bringing the calcium carbid and the Water in contact by the motion of said float, said means extending communication for its Water-space near its bottom into the Water-space of the generator, a carbid-feed valve in the generator, and a float in the Water-tank, said valve and float being directly connected together throughthe communicating passage between the generator-chamber tank substantially as and for the purpose described.

JACOB L. GEBHART.

lVitnesses:

EDW. W. BYRN, SoLoN O. KEMON. 

